Profile avatar
jamesdowd.bsky.social
James Dowd grew up in a small town in Kansas in the 80s and writes books about jumping bikes and dead dogs. He may or may not be the illegitimate offspring of John Hughes and S.E. Hinton.
94 posts 36 followers 17 following
Regular Contributor
Active Commenter
Posts 20 Comments 30

Okay, @stephenking.bsky.social should write a collection of shorts called "The Derry Chronicles" that are all connected stories (and maybe person) like Hemingway's "In Our Time". #readingcommunity #books

submitted 10 days ago • 0 comments

It's 1989 for 4 kids in highschool in a small town in Kansas and I just got this feedback from Chapter 7: "This chapter is one of the strongest yet in terms of emotional weight and character development. The longing, tension, and quiet heartbreak are all right there." SWOON. #writingcommunity

submitted 27 days ago • 0 comments

In a book landscape that seems a bit myopic, I applaud @driftwoodpress.bsky.social for publishing @kclichty.bsky.social "The Circle That Fits". Coming-of-age in a literary and lyrical way that was one of the best reads in a while. This gives me hope for my work. #writingcommunity

submitted 28 days ago • 1 comment

It's been interesting diving into a new story set in 1996. I want a leather jacket, gel for my hair, and am craving some Stabbing Westward to put in my portable CD player...this feels right. #writingcommunity

submitted 38 days ago • 0 comments

Everything needs to get better, but if you are boycotting GenAI because of "environmental impact", you should also stop streaming your shows...

submitted 46 days ago • 0 comments

Read these over the Holiday break. The Nick Adams stories were the standout, but all were great reads. Let's discuss... #booksky #books #reading

submitted 57 days ago • 0 comments

Trapped in a failing battle suit as the world collapses around him, Grissom must confront the chaos of an alien assault and the haunting mysteries of their ultimate plan. With time and air running out, survival may mean facing truths more terrifying than the enemy itself. #writingcommunity

submitted 58 days ago • 1 comment

I told my wife I can totally see how my debut novel would start out as a movie, the song that would be playing, and even how it would be shot, the end credits song etc. She thinks I'm getting ahead of myself, but the movies in my head are why we are here anyway... #writingcommunity

submitted 60 days ago • 0 comments

I don't know how y'all feel about prologues in books, but dammit, my coming-of-age book set in the 80's just got one and I think it works. No way I could have predicted a prologue when I first started. #writingcommunity

submitted 60 days ago • 1 comment

Another short story! "The Ramp" is a nostalgic coming-of-age story set in the summer of 1981, where 10-year-old Matthew discovers that courage isn’t always about soaring over homemade ramps on his trusty BMX bike, Hombre—it’s about navigating the cracks in life’s sidewalks. #writingcommunity

submitted 63 days ago • 0 comments

I have had Ricki Cardenas give me a first 10-page critique of my novel as well as a full critique and review of one of my short stories and it was worth every penny. Trust me when I say, your work will shine more with her help. rickicardenas.com #writingcommunity

submitted 70 days ago • 1 comment

Thanksgiving week was filled with a 10,000 word reduction edit to tighten things up in a good way of my MS, and this week was a short story "prequel" with the same MC. This kid is fun to write. The full-time job pays for a lot of things, but time off is WAY more productive. #writingcommunity

submitted 84 days ago • 0 comments

How to make an author blush: "You masterfully employ imagery and use subtle literary devices that enhance the story's impact, without being overly showy. Your flow is natural and engaging, keeping the reader invested in the protagonist's journey." #writingcommunity

submitted 85 days ago • 0 comments

It’s always gratifying to surprise yourself while editing your work, rediscovering a universal truth again in the process. #writingcommunity

submitted 92 days ago • 0 comments

No matter how many times I read this scene, THAT I WROTE, I get goosebumps. These two kids, man... #writingcommunity

submitted 94 days ago • 0 comments

With the new administration coming, we thought it might be time to upgrade our 2015 Volt. INSANE lease deal in Oregon for the 2024 Chevy Blazer EV. Like, $150/mo for a 24 mo/10,000 mile lease. We couldn't say no. #carsky

submitted 95 days ago • 0 comments

MS: “In the M365 apps, we do not use customer data to train LLMs. This setting only enables features requiring internet access like co-authoring a document.” For those of you using Word with Co-Pilot. I will say the language in the TOS was unclear. #writingcommunity

submitted 95 days ago • 0 comments

This view in Threads FINALLY is useful!

submitted 99 days ago • 0 comments

I cannot stress enough how important HEARING my work being read back in my voice is to my editing. But having it read back HOW IT IS WRITTEN is even more important. I made an AI version of my voice, and have it read my book back to me in NaturalReader and it's amazing. #writingcommunity #editing

submitted 100 days ago • 2 comments

Just finished "That Was Then, This Is Now" by S.E. Hinton and don't know why I waited so long to read it. She nailed it when she said "The Outsiders is a FEELING book, this one is a THINKING book." This might be my favorite of hers. #BookSky

submitted 101 days ago • 0 comments